UAE. -- /PRNewswire/ --In order to expand its development capacity, GEZE has invested 13 million euro in the construction of a new, highly modern development centre.

The opening was celebrated on 20 October 2017 by Dr Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, Minister of Economic Affairs, Labour and Housing in Baden-Württemberg; Bernhard Schuler, mayor of Leonberg; and the GEZE corporate management.

This investment is a further commitment on the part of the specialist in door, window and safety technology as well as building automation to its head office in Leonberg and to the quality standard 'made in Germany'. A total of 28.8 million euro has been invested here over the past five years with an additional 15 million euro is earmarked for the new GEZE Academy.

"GEZE GmbH is not just a model company for Baden-Württemberg. Rather, it is a successful global organisation that is expanding internationally, and at the same time strengthening its roots and its plant in Germany with targeted investments. This again underlines the great contribution that traditional family businesses such as GEZE make to the German economy as a whole," says Minister Dr Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut. Together with Bernhard Schuler, mayor of Leonberg, and the GEZE corporate management, she opened the new development centre on 20 October 2017.

"We are proud of our new, innovative building, which will open up quite new opportunities for our development department. Our aim is to offer our customers and partners worldwide high quality product and networking solutions that perfectly meet their demands. Therefore, over the past five years, we have invested a total of 28.8 million euro, including ongoing costs in this financial year. We have earmarked a further 15 million euro for our GEZE Academy," says Brigitte Vöster-Alber, Chief Executive Officer of GEZE GmbH. Today, guests were able to get an initial impression of the new, innovative building.

Exceptionally smart: the new development centre is itself a Smart BuildingThe four-story terrace construction, which provides a total surface area of 2,300 square metres for test and validation rooms, office space, conference and meeting areas and a creative space, gives GEZE the platform it needs to expand its portfolio with innovative, networked system solutions for doors and windows in intelligent buildings.

The new development centre looks far into the future. GEZE creates the infrastructure and optimum working conditions to further expand its powers of innovation and to offer premium quality system solutions to manage complete building technology in Smart Buildings in the years ahead.

As a matter of course, the new development centre is a Smart Building itself. All the product groups are intelligently networked and integrated into the building management system. Heating, ventilation, light, shading, doors and windows communicate with each other, and interact optimally. Of course, all the automation and safety functions on doors and windows were realised with GEZE products, including the complete smoke and heat extraction system.

Therefore, the new development building will serve not just as a laboratory, but also as a test and learning centre. The insights gained are used to further develop the intelligence of GEZE products, and offer customers worldwide optimum solutions.

Further investment in nature conservation:As well as investing in innovation and the new building, GEZE GmbH is also lending considerable support to environmental conservation and sustainability. An entire biotope has been newly integrated into the building's outdoor facilities. It provides a new habitat for bees, insects and plants threatened with extinction.

At the heart of the site are bee and insect hotels as well as unusual trees and shrubs that create a perfect ecosystem. The idea originated from the GEZE training workshop where, some years ago, a Christmas gift - the first insect hotel - was designed and produced for GEZE's CEO Brigitte Vöster-Alber.

This basic idea has now been expanded, and with the help of the apprentices and a company in Leonberg developed to create a local recreation area for people and animals. As such, GEZE is playing an active part in counteracting the threat of bee deaths, and the associated consequences. A walkway, including a newly created pond, has also been created to allow all employees to enjoy relaxing breaks in the fresh air.

"Sustainability and environmental conservation have always been important to GEZE - both in our production as well as in all areas of our daily working life. With the newly designed outdoor facilities, we are delighted to take the opportunity to make a further contribution to environmental conservation, and provide bees threatened with extinction with a new habitat," says Brigitte Vöster-Alber.

ABOUT GEZEThe GEZE brand stands for innovation and premium quality products, processes and services. GEZE is one of the leaders on the market and is a reliable partner worldwide for door, window and safety technology products and systems. No matter what the requirements of the building are - GEZE realises optimum solutions and combines functionality and security with comfort and design.

GEZE door closers open up numerous technical and visual options. Every day millions of people go through doors equipped with the overhead door closers from the TS 5000 series and enjoy the barrier-free convenience of automatic door systems, e.g. the Slimdrive and Powerturn lines. The integrated all-glass design systems are pure aesthetics.

GEZE also has a wide product range for window and ventilation technology. Complete "intelligent" smoke and heat exhaust solutions (RWA) and a comprehensive selection of door systems for RWA air supply solutions are also available for preventative fire protection.

GEZE's safety technology includes escape and rescue route solutions, lock technology and access control systems. With system expertise, GEZE creates coordinated system solutions that combine individual functions and security requirements in one intelligent system. The latest innovations are a new building automation system and interface modules for integrating GEZE products into networking solutions which turn buildings into Smart Buildings. GEZE product solutions have received numerous awards and can be found in renowned structures all over the world.

The company is represented by 31 subsidiaries, 27 of which are abroad, a flexible and highly efficient distribution and service network and almost 2,800 employees worldwide and generated revenues of over 394 million Euros in the 2015/2016 business year.

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